"That was the situation. Will it be a problem for Diego Costa to play at Palace or Stoke? Not at all. I think they will be the matches he will most enjoy.

"And Fabregas is a player of control. He's a player that wants the ball, a player that needs the ball. In these matches away we will have much more control of the game and much more initiative than we had before.

"The guy is a real top striker. Even the other older players - Branislav Ivanovic and John Terry - say it's fantastic that he has come here because he is so strong.

"They thought of him as good in the air, but after four days training they changed their opinion. They say he is much better than that.

"However, it's not just about the physical profile or the tactical profile. I have known Diego since he was 17 and he went to Portugal.

"This is the kind of guy where life was not easy. He has always to fight a lot to do things. He didn't go to a big club and get a big chance.

"He arrived here, as he said to me, thanks to his legs and to his heart. He has been given nothing for free.

"I know his psychological profile and he is the kind of guy who is afraid of nothing and ready for everything.

"The Premier League is difficult and he knows that. But he is ready to play for Chelsea with all the responsibilities and pressures. I don't think it will be difficult for him to succeed."

The title race promises to be as competitive as ever this season, but Mourinho insists he couldn't care less about his main rivals Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United.

All he is bothered about is his own team and he wants his stars to adopt the same attitude as him.

He added: "I don't assess any of the other teams - I only care about us.

"This is the kind of profile I want my team to have. I want us to have that feeling: it is about us, it is not about the others.

"From my perspective, I say: 'we want to be champions'. We're ready to be champions, and we're not looking at other teams."